Category: Thesis Writing

Sample Scope and Delimitation of the Study

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Thesis title: “Development of a Source Material in Food Dehydration Craft Technology for the Secondary Schools”

The primary objective is to develop a course outline complementing the present high school subjects offering and preparation of a manual of procedures that will serve as a guideline in performing the experiments and what will then be the output of said experiments.

The secondary objective is for the course program to provide a combination of educational and work based learning opportunities for a student’s career path after leaving the high school portals. With urban based employment growing but cannot absorb the incoming supply of labor, that is, for new high school and college graduates, entrepreneurship in the food sector can offset this imbalance.

As an addendum, the study will only include local fruits such as bananas, mangoes and pineapples as subject of dehydration in the literature and proposed manual.

By: Engr. Mary Rose Florence S. Cobar, Doctor of Philosophy in Education

Writing Definition of Terms

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It is important to include definition of terms in your thesis or dissertation in order to understand the key terms being used in the study.  These terms should be clearly defined according how they are used in the study in order to make easy understanding of the problem and avoid ambiguous meaning to terms which can be otherwise interpreted in different ways.

Terms defined should be arranged in alphabetical order and acronyms should always spell out fully most specially if it is used for the first time and not commonly known.

Make sure to define though common may have special meaning or used differently. Complicated and lengthy definition should be included in your appendix.

Thesis or Dissertation Evaluation

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Every thesis or dissertation is required to be defended before a panel or examiners and submitted to the proper authorities for acceptance which serve as a piece of scholarly work.

The following are some factors to be considered in judging the value of your thesis or dissertation

–    Subject and Problem

The subject should be significant, timely and or current issues. The title should be appropriate for the subject.  Sub-problems should be specific and clear.  Also, the subject should be clearly delimited but big enough for making valid generalizations.

–    Design of the Study

The research methodology used should be appropriate. The report prepared. The design should be understandable in accordance with the scientific method of research.   The report or document prepared should be carefully follows acceptable format.

–    Findings (Data)

Data should be adequate, reliable or valid.  Findings or data should be analyzed correctly and properly treated statistically as well as interpreted suitably.

–    Generalizations or Conclusions

The conclusions should be based upon the findings.  Outcomes of the study should be reasonable and valid.

–    Recommendations

Recommendation should be attainable and feasible as well as action oriented.

Related Literature and Studies Characteristics

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Related literature and studies help the researcher understand his topic better because it may clarify vague points about his problem. It also guides the researcher in making comparisons between his findings with the findings of other similar studies. So it is necessary that the related materials should have true value.  I listed some characteristics of related literature and studies for your guidelines.

  • The related materials should be as recent as possible. It is important that reviewed materials must be new or fresh because of the rapid change in technology, social, economic, scientific and human lifestyle.
  • Reviewed materials should be objective and unbiased. Avoid reviewed materials that is extremely political or religious or onesided.
  • Surveyed materials should be related to the study. Relevant or similar materials to the research must be reviewed.
  • The reviewed materials should be based upon genuinely original and true facts or data must be valid and reliable. Avoid materials where fictitious data are supplied just to complete the research report because it is hard to prove.
  • Reviewed materials should not be too few and too many. The researcher should provide sufficient enough reviewed materials to give insight into the research problem or to indicate the nature of the present studies. However, the number may also depend upon the availability of related materials.

Some Sources of Related Literature and Studies

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Related literature and studies plays important rule in your thesis or dissertation because it serve as a foundation of the proposed study.  Related literature is composed of discussions of facts and principles to which the present study is related while related studies are studies, inquiries or investigations already conducted to which the present proposed study is related or has similarity.

The following are sources of related literature and studies

  • Books, encyclopedias, almanacs and other similar references
  • Unpublished thesis and dissertations
  • Reports from seminars
  • Official reports from educational, social, economic, scientific, political, etc from the government and other entities
  • Constitution and laws
  • Bulletins, circulars and orders derive from government offices and departments.
  • Records of schools, public and private
  • Articles published in professional journals, magazines, periodicals, newspapers and other publications
  • Manuscripts, monographs, memoirs, speeches, letters and diaries

Usually, the sources of related literature and studies are found in the libraries, government and private offices, and national library.

Thesis Mistakes

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These are some list of common thesis mistakes to be used as guidelines to your thesis writing.

  • Fails to identify clearly the focus of the research. The problem being addressing should be identified exactly through the abstract and introduction section of the thesis since readers need to know what are the thesis is all about.
  • Incorrect chapter content. Most thesis writers are confused of what they should write in different chapters of a thesis or dissertation. Make sure to consult your advisor as often as possible.
  • Thesis plagiarism. Plagiarism is unavoidable while writing your thesis. So, it is necessary to format and cite the parts copied out.
  • Method(s) used is not clearly identified to solve the question addressed in the research. Justify the reason why choose that method.
  • Thesis assumptions are not properly defended. Thesis writer should explain the reason for the assumption.
  • Literature reviews are not clearly related with the work of others. Thesis should always be clear which parts refer to your own research findings.
  • Not properly organized such as the main points and evidence. It is important to create thesis outline to organize thoughts.
  • Punctuation error in references. The works cited page is prepared incorrectly such as the article name, author, publication date, journal and page number are not written properly.
  • Failure to do a thesis proofreading. It is best to ask someone’s help with proofreading.  It is a vital part of making thesis great. Make sure that the correct grammar, spelling and punctuation have been used. Also, thesis should be proofread several times to make sure that the correct spelling, grammar and punctuation has been used.

Good Thesis Characteristics

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Thesis is asserting what you believe and you may have to prove it. It is an explanation of theory or statement that represents your opinion and what you want is to prove it.  Your point of view or opinion should prove your point in an acceptable manner. There are no set rules for good thesis however your thesis must prove its points.

Some Thesis Writing Characteristics

  • It should present a valid argument. You should always propose a valid arguable point and be able to justify it.
  • It expresses only one idea.
  • It clearly declares your own conclusion based on evidence.
  • It should not vague generalization and vague language.
  • Thesis should not useless points because it will only make your thesis difficult to understand.
  • It should guide your readers to the conclusion instead of confusing them.
  • You should avoid using the first person such as “I believe”, “In my opinion”.

Writing Thesis Abstract

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Abstract is a brief and concise descriptive summary of your thesis or dissertation.  It is a sum up of your statement of the problem, hypotheses, assumptions, research design, objectives, data-gathering, data-processing method, findings, conclusions and recommendations. It is brief summary of your thesis outline from the beginning to end. Thesis abstract is place after your table of contents page.

Your abstract should consist of direct quotes which are lifted from the thesis.  Your paragraph should use simple language and avoid using technical terms as much as possible. Abstract contains 100 to 350 words only if it is a descriptive type but if it is informative type, it should contain 100 to 250 words only.  Also, thesis abstract should focus more on problem and solution discussed in the thesis.

By the way, your thesis abstract is served as great introduction or opening section for the actual thesis.  This is for the benefit of your readers because not everyone has to go through the entire thesis; they just want to know important information.  Likewise, the examiner board generally does not have enough time to go through the thesis of all the students who shall defend their work in front of them so after reading your thesis abstract, they have the idea about the work done by the student and can ask intelligent questions.

The best way to write your thesis abstract is after the rest of the paper is completed and take note important points. Anyway, how can you summarize something that is not yet written?

Sample Thesis Abstract

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sample thesis abstractThe primary purpose of this study is to explore the development of a solar dehydrator for the use of the indigenous people and other partner communities of the University of Santo Tomas’ in the rural areas. The research study focuses in the design and adaptability of the solar dehydrator to the produce of these partner communities as way to alleviate their plight of poverty due to exploitation of tradesmen buying their agricultural output such as papayas, bananas, mangoes, root crops, ginger, etc.

Secondly, the research study as an output together with a fabricated solar dehydrator, the development of a source material that can be of use in the long term of its primary beneficiaries, the farmers.

By: Engr. Mary Rose Florence S. Cobar, Doctor of Philosophy in Education
Thesis title: “Development of a Source Material in Food Dehydration Craft Technology for the Secondary Schools”

Sample Thesis Format and Outline

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thesis outlineTITLE PAGE

  • This page is assigned a Roman numeral “i” although does not appear on the page
  • The date used is the month and year of commencement
  • The proponents name must appear as registered at the institution

APPROVAL PAGE

  • The names used on the approval sheet and title page must be that under which the proponents are registered at the institution
  • Black ink is required for the signatures of approving signatories
  • The number of signature lines must equal to the number of panelists
  • The approval page required counted as page “ii” but not numbered

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

  • Numbered with Roman numeral “iii”

ABSTRACT

  • Number page; Roman numeral and placed at center of heading
  • Should be a concise review of the work containing a brief summary of the problem and results of the research.
  • A short statement concerning the area of research study
  • A brief discussion of methods and procedures used in gathering data
  • A condensed summary of the findings and conclusions reached in the study

CONTENT OF ABSTRACT

  • Proponents
  • Title
  • Key concepts
  • Degree
  • Adviser/s
  • Statement of the Purpose or Problem
  • Methodology [ Research Design and Procedure]
  • Summary of Findings
  • Recommendations

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgment
Abstract
Table of Contents
List of Tables, Charts, Figures, Plates
Chapters  [with Chapter I starts as page 1
Bibliography
Appendices – include Gantt Chart of Timetable

Curriculum Vitae

TYPE FONTS and PRINT QUALITY

1.    Recommended font – Times Roman, size 12

2.    Line Spacing – standard double space

3.    Margins – the left hand margin must be 1½ inches wide to allow for binding; all other margins must be 1 inch wide. Adherence to this margin will leave a 6×9 inch area on each sheet of the text or illustrative material including page numbers. The right margins should not be justified. The only exceptions to the margin requirements are:

a)    The first page of each chapter or major section of the manuscript, where typing begins 2” down from the top rather than 1” and tables and figures maybe smaller and centered but not larger than the 6×9 area.

b)    Tables and figures must be reduced to meet margin requirements

c)    It is not permissible to leave a single line of a paragraph or other subdivision at either the bottom or top of a page.

d)    The last word on a page cannot be hyphenated.

4.    Pagination

a)    Every page of the thesis must have a page number except the title page, approval page, abstract pages and CV.

b)    Small roman numerals (ii, iii,etc) are used for the preliminary pages: acknowledgement, table of contents and list of tables

c)    Arabic numbers are used for the remainder of the document including the text and reference material. No other numbering scheme is acceptable.

d)    All page numbers must be placed 1” from the top, even with the right margin

e)    On pages with a major heading such as APPENDIX or BIBLIOGRAPHY and those beginning a CHAPTER, the page is placed in the center bottom position – 1” up from bottom

f)    Numbers of preliminary pages are placed at the center bottom in small roman numerals.